Sunday, August 5, 2012

From Kimmy Dora to Bona

BONA and Gardo are the central figures in the movie Bona, which featured superstar Nora Aunor as a schoolgirl turned alalay (general factotum) and Philip Salvador as a narcissistic struggling actor.

In the movie, Bona is so obsessed with Gardo that she agrees to fetch
hot water for his bath, scrub his floors, mend his clothes and cook for
him. Bona is eventually disowned by her family but Gardo doesn’t care.

The movie, directed by National Artist for Film Lino Brocka, is a classic. Aunor’s portrayal of Bona won her the Best Actress Award in the 1980 Gawad Urian Awards. The film written by Cenen Ramones
was also an official entry in the 1981 Cannes International Film
Festival Director’s Fortnight and was cited as one of the “100 Best
Films of the World” by The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

Bona re-emerges this August as Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) opens its 45th theater season in retrospect of a film classic that once captivated the hearts of Filipino audiences.

Set in contemporary Manila, PETA’s stage adaptation of Bona revolves around Eugene Domingo as a spinster call center agent who becomes a fan of Gino Sanchez, essayed by Edgar Allan Guzman as a contestant in the talent search Star of Tomorrow.

Blinded by her obsession with Gino, Bona turns her back on everything
she values and gives up nearly everything she has. Caught in a
quicksand of worship and pity, Bona proves how obsession may overpower
love and even lead to a person’s demise.

Layeta Bucoy, who wrote the stage adaptation, shares her insight about the difference of the new Bona to the film.

“Eugene’s Bona is more empowered; she is financially independent and
even supports her family. As a fan, she lays claim to empowerment, as
she believes that the inclusion of fan votes in a talent search on TV
affords her to choose tomorrow’s next big star. Since her admiration is
also stamped with pity, blinded with altruism, she gives the aspiring
star her all,” shares Bucoy.

“I believe Eugene has the stamina, range, and imagination for a physically and emotionally taxing role,” she says.